Brian Schweitzer Hints At Presidential Bid

Former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer (D) suggested in an interview published Friday that he hasn’t ruled out a White House bid in 2016.

“I still hold the people of Iowa and New Hampshire in high regard,” Schweitzer told RealClearPolitics, alluding to the sites of the first presidential caucus and primary. “The people of Iowa are a whole lot like the people of Montana. And, of course, New Hampshire’s a lot like Montana. We don’t have a sales tax. ‘Live Free or Die’ — we understand that notion in Montana.”

Although Clinton is widely viewed as a lock for the Democratic nomination in 2016, Schweitzer recounted how President Barack Obama used a triumph in the 2008 Iowa caucus as a springboard to the White House.

“Who would’ve thunk Obama would come out of this thing when you had, my God, Dodd, Biden, Billy Richardson, Hillary Clinton,” Schweitzer told RCP. “So the nice thing about the people of Iowa is they ain’t going to let the rest of America make up their minds for them.”

Schweitzer announced in July that he won’t run in 2014 for the seat being vacated by Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT).

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Kludt is a reporter for Talking Points Memo based in New York City, covering media and national affairs. Originally from South Dakota, Tom joined TPM as an intern in late-2011 and became a staff member during the 2012 election. He can be reached at tom@talkingpointsmemo.com.